


We Accept The Love We Think We Deserve

by Glowstick_ofdestiny



Category: Batman: The Animated Series, Suicide Squad (2016)
Genre: Arkham Asylum, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Love, Love Story, Suicide Squad canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 14:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7896961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glowstick_ofdestiny/pseuds/Glowstick_ofdestiny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harleen thought that she would marry a rich guy. Have kids. Live in a nice house. Make car payments and have her kids play in Lil' League...But Harleen hadn't planned on meeting the Joker.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my version of how Harley and Joker met. This is my first DC fanfic and I'm not as comfortable with the characters so read with an open mind. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

While she ached she knew doing so would mean nothing. Jeopardizing the rest of her life. Re-reading that first page around a hundred times. Same old, same old, same everything. Something inside wasn't ticking the same anymore. She certainly didn't feel like sitting at her desk listening to a load of rubbish; pretending it was the most important thing she had ever heard. Well you know...Since he smiled, squinted then dared to question why. 

"Are you feeling well? Did someone upset you?" 

The sound of his voice snapped her back to her rather dull reality. He offered a reassuring smile from the gurney; the wardens had warned that it was for the best he stayed strapped down. 

Dr Harleen Quinzel has been treating The Joker for the past few months now and had began to distrust the other doctors warnings. It had soon become clear to her that his label of psychotic killer wasn't all they'd made it up to be. After hours of listening to his past. After studying his ways, reading criminal records she knew him better than most she thought. Knew him well enough that she thought she was really curing him but really...she was falling for him. 

"No, no it's nothing." She brushed it off and re-adjusted her hair. "It's nothing." 

"C'mon Harley." She loved it when he called her Harley, the way he said it just felt right. Her lip curled a little into a smile. "Tell me what's troubling you." They both snickered a little, that was the line Harleen had delivered at the beginning of every session. Frequently Joker had made fun of it; how formal and silly she sounded. One of the many times he had brought her to tears with laughter. 

"Okay, Joker." Harleen said smiling. Her hands ghosted over his as she unbuckled the restraints holding him to the table. His eerily pale skin had always made her wonder. Was it as cold as it looked? His eyes as well, a deep emerald green. They held a mesmerizing but twisted quality; something that held her and wouldn't let go. 

Joker sat on the edge of the gurney. Rubbing his wrists where the straps had held him tightly, but still holding her gaze as she sat back down. 

"Well;" she started. Harleen's eyes ran over every feature. His untidy hair sticking out every which way, a similar hue to his eyes. A jawline so sharp Harleen was sure it was chizzled marble. "This is gonna sound crazy but-" 

"Harley, you know I love crazy." Joker butted in with a wide grin. One that seemed to calm her. "Well...I...I think I love you." Her heart skipped a beat nearly when she finally said it. She looked away and to the floor. Months of keeping it under wraps. It sounded so childish now that she'd said it out loud. But, it was true. 

She expected rejection. For him to laugh in her face and for whispers to echo around the halls of Arkham Asylum. The Doctor that fell in love with her patient...Tears welled in her eyes at the thought. 

"Oh Harley. I understand." His voice usually sharp now had a softer edge to it. 

"You what?" Harleen said looking up and wiping a tear away. She saw his out stretched hand, beckoning her to take it. 

"A pretty, hard working woman like you. Naturally you'd be attracted to a man that could make you laugh." She took his hand cautiously. This was a conversion; where she had a choice to let go and free fall through life in mutual insanity. Or she could press the button on the side of the chair and alert the guards and leave Arkham behind for good. 

"You see Harley, I think I've fallen for you too." 

Physical contact between the patients and the doctors was never permitted but in that one moment, upon hearing those words, Harleen surrendered completely to the person The Joker had made her. She wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. 

"Puddin' ?" Her more formal accent had gone, revealing her high pitched Brooklyn accent. She looked up and smiled at him but before his mouth could form the reply the guards that escorted him around were pulling him away. He fought against them, the restraints holding him down and was pushed out of her sight. Hysterical laughter fading down the ward. 

The tears that threatened to spill before ran down the Doctors face as she stared blankly. Staring blankly at the door. 

"I'll get you outta here, Puddin'." She whispers to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of my favorite scenes in the film.

The gloomy hallways of the asylum were deadly quiet at night. Just the sound of their thoughts and the night wardens heavy footsteps as he walks up and down. But on the night of April 1st the footsteps coming down the hall sounded...different. 

*Tap Tap* Joker stirred. Staring out into the hallway through the glass fronted cell. 

Shadows shifted in front of the glass. Then the glass door slid open. 

"Hiya Puddin'!" The slim silhouette uttered dreamily from the doorway. 

"Harley?" Genuine surprise rang clear in his voice. Then a wicked smile crossed his face, exaggerated by the choppy scars in his cheeks. 

"You got it Mr J! I'm your new and improved Harley Quinn!" Her voice higher pitched than it was when they had their last encounter. "Come on! Lets get outta here!" With a giggle she ran down the hallway, blonde hair bouncing with each step. Walking past the dead guard on the way out. 

***

"Mr J?" Harley squeaked as she looked over the edge. The drop down to the ground was farther than she liked and it made her queezy to just look over. 

"What?" He snapped as he walked over. Harley wasn't sure where she was; the abandoned warehouses in Gotham was a place she never visited until now. 

"What exactly are we going here? I thought you said you lived on the other side of the city." She turned quickly, frightened at the eeriness of her surroundings. The adrenaline rush from the breakout had subsided now and doubt was creeping in. 

As she turned Joker caught her by her arms. Grip tightening so she couldn't move. 

"Listen, Harley." Her gaze met his, hard and stony one. "Would you die for me?" 

"Yes." She said after a pause, offering a small smile. 

"No, no." He broke the gaze; thought to himself a moment. "Too easy." Chucking to himself he then asked. "Would you live for me?" Harley took a moment to understand what he had just asked her. His grin widened when she nodded her head. 

loosening his grip on her arms he smiled at her. She was almost there, almost the little Harley Quinn he had imagined she'd be. The Queen to his King. There was just one thing left...

"I'm sorry Harley, this may sting a little." 

"Wha-" Her reply was cut short as Joker shoved her over the edge. A shrill scream ripped through the air followed by a splash as she hit the vat of acid below. Joker knew this place all too well. The faulty lighting, the cold metal scaffolding, and the sound of the splash Harley made when she fell in. 

*****

Harley's eyes flicker open. Harsh white light made her squint, but she couldn't move. 

Her mind was swimming with images of broken glass, the rain framed Gotham skyline and the red and blue dye running down her legs. Harley hadn't anticipated the fall, but her heart fluttered when she was pulled to the surface and her eyes met his. He kissed her long and hard then. The acid slowly dissolving their clothes. Bleaching all the colour out of Harley's hair and skin. 

The rain was beating down as The Joker carried his new Queen to the car. The rain washed away the debris leaving behind Harley Quinn The Clown Queen of Gotham shivering and wet in her King's arms. 

"Mr J, come on, what's happening?" She tugged a little harder; heart beat thumping hard in her ears. Dry, warm and out of the rain Harley could only guess she had been taken to the Joker's hideout. "Please don't kill me." She pleaded now. Sniffing as she held back a sob. 

"No, no, no Sweets." Came a reply as he came to stand over her. "I'm not gonna kill ya." Smiling broadly he looks down at her. All Harley seemed to focus on was each of his tattoos. The 'HA HA HA' along his left shoulder, the Ace of Spades on his neck. "I'm just gonna hurt ya, really, really bad." He laughed loud and slow then Harley got the shock of her life. 

In the moments that followed Joker had finalized his plan. The therapy sessions, the acid pit, the break-out all the things that lead Harleen towards the rabbit hole. Taking 1000 volts straight to the head tipped Harley into a tumble into Wonderland where Joker's words were gospel, and she would do anything for her Puddin'!


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm in love with a murderer...But I've never felt safer in anyone else's arms." Harley chimed.

"Yep, he was right, you're crazy."

"Shut it Robin! Who's the one tied to a chair here?" She sneered at him. Harley didn't think much of Robin and Batbrains; the capped crusaders of Gotham were just a nusence to her. Giving her Puddin' a constant headache - and more often than not a bad temper...which she always bared the brunt of. 

It had been a year since Harley joined the Joker's side. Since then things had been card games, breaking into places, and Harley dancing at the club while J 'took care of business'. Joker bought her things here and there. Her red and blue jacket with 'Property of Joker' sewn into the back and he even bought her her own gun. With the black and gold revolver and her baseball bat Harley could deal some serious damage. 

Now, in one of the dark corners of Gotham's industrial district, Joker had caught the next best thing to the Bat himself. Leaving Robin under Harley's supervision till he got back. 

"Let me go Qunizel." Robin pulled his arms and legs to try and come free of the rope. 

"Naughty, naughty!" Harley said with a grin. She walked over to him, baseball bat resting on one shoulder. "Jump around like that and doctor won't give you a lollypop." She giggled, her eyes a light with playfulness. Bright red and blue eye shadow matching the ends of her girlish pigtails. "Lets play shall we?" 

She swung and hit him with some force in the stomach. He cringed away as she went in for another hit, this time to the face. He groaned in pain. A small trail of blood dripped from his nose. 

"Who's crazy now Robin?! I'll make it a fair fight shall I."

She pulled out a knife and cut the ropes. Robin stumbled forward and put his fists up in defence; head spinning a little from the blow. "Play with me Robin." She laughed before going in for a punch. 

Robin tried to throw a few counter blows, but Harley was far quicker it seemed. Swinging her leg high to kick him in the head. Or taking a few more swings with her bat. Robin landed a blow right to her face and she stumbled back a little. Once she regained her feet she ran at him. The full force of her weight knocking them both to the ground. 

Sitting on him, her knees pinning his arms down. Harley looked triumphant. 

"Quinzel, stop, you need to come with me." Robin chocked out, his face scratched and starting to bruise. 

"No, I don't Bird Boy! I need to get rid of you and B-Man and it'll all be better." She replied. Her smile dropped. All her head was filled with was how angry Mr J was when Bat-Man got in the way of things; then how lovely it would be if Gotham didn't have the Bat. 

"You think Joker's going to be impressed that you killed me ?" Doubt crept in when she heard Robin say that. 

"Yeah, he is." She said, but her voice faultered. On the cusp of confidence or confusion. Mr J would be proud of his Baby Girl right? 

"You're a hired help. Eye candy to distract from the maniac he is." 

Rage washed over her, no one bad mouthed Mr J and got away with it. 

"No! My Puddin' does love me !" And in one motion she got to her feet and pulled out her gun. "He does love me!" Harley screamed as she emptied her chamber into Robins body. Tears running down her face, brought forth by the thought of her Puddin' not loving her all that time. 

"Harley!?" Her head whipped around at the sound of her Puddin's voice. Joker was stood in the doorway. Stoney glare taking in the scene laid out in front of him. 

"Puddin'!" Harley's spoke no higher than a squeak as Joker's voice rang with anger. She knew he wouldn't be happy with Robin still around...But he didn't seem too thrilled now either. 

"I got him aren't you-" Her little ramble was cut short; J had grabbed the collar of her jacket. Bringing their faces close together. 

"Harley, baby, my pretty baby girl." He whispered kissing her cheek. "Daddy was busy, and this," he looks down at Robin's corpse bleeding out across the floor. "This, didn't help." He looks at her again. Green eyes meeting her blue ones. 

"Don't cry Sweets." He wiped a tear away her make-up smudging with it. J put his arms around her. Remember Harley, I'm doing this because I love you." Breaking the embrace he takes on last good look at her. His Queen. Before pushing her backwards out of the window. 

Free falling with glass shards into the ally below. Landing in the garbage dumpster. Stairing up at the window she fell from, seeing a flash if black pass over the over head lights in the room. 

"B-Man ?" She questioned as her eyes closed and she blacked out laid in the ally.


	4. Chapter 4

"Welcome to Belle Received Penitentiary, the only rules are don't touch the bars and don't try to escape."

"We'll see about that." Harley whispered with a smile.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic wouldn't be here without the help of one of my friends and biggest fans. You know who you are :) ;) 
> 
> Thanks for reading people!


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